Bed Wood

I too am a career woodworker, starting in boat yards after school at age 15. Never done anything else for work. No restaraunts or gas stations, just boats, cabinetry, furniture, doors etc. At 60 years old, I am not interested in fine woodworking anywhere near my truck. The trucks are my refuge from my daily uptight world working with architects and interior designers from the city, and meeting the whims of wealthy clientel building waterfront homes they only use a few times a year. Don't get me wrong. It's been a good run here in the islands, but like so many here, I use my truck like a truck. Now here's the funny part.... My 9' flareside has the original bed wood in excellent condition. The bed sides and headboard are excellent as well. I am just as protective of this original wood as so many of you varnish guys are. I have been known to be awakened at night by the start of raindrops on our shake roof, and rushed out in a panic that my bed won't get wet. I don't have any real schooling on the subject, but understand everything that AX was talking about. When my wood gets wet, the boards tend to raise in the center as the top surface expands first and acts like a bi-metal strip in a thermostat. While most of the visible paint is blue, the bed started out meadow green and upon closer inspection, there is a lot of meadow green still on the bed wood. When the weather warms, I will paint the inside of the bed with my home brew semi-flat rustoleum remix of meadow green. Then I will be able to sleep at night. Not that I will ever intentionally leave the truck outside in the rain, but it will be better protected. Before I mounted the bed on the truck, I sprayed everything under there including the wood with a mixture of hot marvel mystery oil and paste wax. Not sure what the Amish would think.

Lots of good stuff. I like using Teak Oil on the beds that I don't want gloss finishes or the furniture finish look. And I would never use an open grain wood like oak either. I have used automotive clear coat on wood for many years. I've had some good success with it. It's not as easy to maintain as an oil finish, but it has it's purpose. I guess it really depends on the look you want. So many options. Hard to beat an oil finish. The water beads up on top as it protects the wood from the inside out.

I ABSOLUTELY know what u mean about architects and designers from THE city. I dealt with all of them back in the 80's in the boston area. you had to get them in your pocket or your life was miserable!!!

that 9' bed looks great. a period truck that's getting used as a productive d.d. that's fantastic!

yes, ax is our guru but we have to stop it somewhere and put our own twist on it to make it our own. as my 54' goes together i'll recondition my original bedwood and make it "nice", not preserve for all times.

yes, ax is our guru but we have to stop it somewhere and put our own twist on it to make it our own. as my 54' goes together i'll recondition my original bedwood and make it "nice", not preserve for all times.

q man

Q, have you been reading my posts??? I have only been attempting to explain why certain things happen so people understand and can make informed decisions, not promoting any specific agenda, I have always been for free expression and believe it is the heart and soul of hotrodding.

then, ax, I'm only reiterating what you've said. I'm amazed at your knowledge in different fields AND glad that your around to put in your dollars worth.( I said dollars worth cuz anything that I have to offer is the standard 2 cents worth) even my beloved wife sez that sometimes my language is a little ruff. I'm the first born of 5 boys. I grew up in a blue collar fam where everybody worked and if u didn't u got nuttin'! my step dad owned a const co and my mom owned and operated a truck stop diner when they were real, not "stop and shops". then I went on to own and op my own const co...not one that my dad gave me. so, in the belief that I'm a funny guy, maybe some feathers get ruffled. THIS IS NOT AN APOLOGY!!!! i'll continue to do what I do and enjoy this forum. its the ONLY one I participate in. ax has been great to me, I got a new computer that I couldn't make work, and w/o his help, it would be still in the box. did u guys know he was a computer guy too! well, he is. I'm almost afierd of what else he knows....the only thing I think is a little suspect about his knowledge is his background in fishin'. that's my story and I'm stickin' to it

if you have read this and other rants, you have too much time on yer hands, just like me!
qman

I really appreciate AX's instructional style. It's like a college course online. Now I can sound real smart next time I talk to an architect about cellulose fibers and such. There have been plenty of photos of that truck on here. I normally keep them in the 57-60 section as it's a '59 F350. When I post on this page, I try to keep it to subjects that are relevant to '48-'56 as well. Things like wheels/tires, bed wood, Flathead V8s, paint work etc. I have no special allegiance to any years of Ford trucks, I have owned most years since my '28, back in '72. But SINCE you asked, here's one I took last night when I was photographing the inside of the bed. Cummins '6at' six cyl turbo diesel from a UPS truck (120 hp), Gm sm465 4 speed, Sterling 10 1/4 rear from a '92 F350. Bought the Mercury bed as a utility trailer. It originally came from Saskatshawn. Then picked up the '59 for something to mount it on. The cab sure is spacious compared to my current build, a '47 2 ton.

Ax is a definite go to guy on a lot of this stuff - wood,suspensions and a whole lot more.
But I got to say if you really pay attention to his post he said he left the nuclear plants behind because he didn't want to start glowing in the dark. If we all keep prasing his skills he is going to strat glowing then we'll all be in the dark on this stuff. !!

I recently saw a photo of AX in one of his posts. He actually looks like one of us old guys. Grey hair, doctor prolly tells him to cut out the carbs, like mine did just yesterday. He may be way smarter than some of us, but he isn't some svelt blue colored formula one racer guy like you'd think......He looks like a regular guy. That's why I don't mind taking his advice. He's like one of us if we had gone to college. Doc, I have a lot of respect for you too, and for other good reasons.....

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